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By Frank Calapre, Correspondent
DEFENDING champion Harbour Centre tries to
rewrite history by winning a record fifth straight championship when
it goes up against Hapee Toothpaste Wednesday in Game 4 of their
best-of-five title series in the 2008 PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup
at the Batangas City Sports Center.
The Batang Pier have already built a dynasty in
a surprisingly short period of time with four straight
championships. They only joined the league in 2005.
Batang Pier coach Jorge Gallent admits that
closing out a title series is the hardest part of his
job—especially against a team with a winning tradition.
“It’s going to be very difficult job, but I
like it to finish the series in Game 4. The boys are also eager to
finish the job,” said Gallent.
The Batang Pier, only on their seventh
conference in the league, inched closer to retaining their title by
winning Game 3, 90-78, behind the 28-point explosion of the
high-flying Jason Castro at the packed President Jose P. Laurel gym
in Tanauan City last Monday.
If the Batang Pier prevail, they will become the
fastest team to win five titles in league history.
“If my shooters get their rhythm early and
Jason gets hot again, then we have very, very good chance of
retaining our crown,” said Gallent. “But we should also play
tough defense especially against Reed [Juntilla] and Larry
[Rodriguez].”
Hapee, clearly the underdog in the series, got a
big lift from the crowd in Game 1 which was also played in Batangas
City to prevail, 74-73. But Harbour rebounded mightily in Game 2,
93-81, through another strong third quarter showing.
Despite the long odds, Hapee coach Louie Alas is
not about give up the series. “Judging the way we played in Game
3, we still have a chance, so the series is far from over.”
Alas and the rest of the Hapee team received a
refreshing news Tuesday after hard-working forward Jervy Cruz was
given a green light to play again.
The reigning UAAP MVP missed the team’s last
six games due to a pulled left hamstring he suffered during Game 1
of their semis duel against Burger King in Tarlac.
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